The present invention relates to a suture dispenser box for suture packages, and more specifically to a suture dispenser box that may be received in differently formatted storage racks.
Sutures are typically packaged in individual, sterile packages that contain one or more sutures. The individual packages are stacked in a suture dispenser box, which is configured to sequentially dispense suture packages therefrom. In an operating room setting, a plurality of suture dispenser boxes, which hold various sizes and types of sutures, are held by a common storage rack to facilitate orderly display, selection, and dispensing of the sutures.
Conventionally, suture dispenser boxes are available in two different configurations, each adapted to be received in a corresponding type of storage rack. The first type of suture dispenser box is of the vertically formatted type with a dispensing slot located at the bottom. This arrangement is favored in the North American market, which prefers the vertically formatted suture dispenser box wherein the suture packages are stacked vertically and are withdrawn horizontally from the suture dispenser box.
The second type of suture dispenser box is of the horizontally formatted type. This arrangement is favored in the European market, which prefers the horizontally formatted suture dispenser box wherein the suture packages are stacked horizontally (e.g., index card fashion), and are withdrawn vertically from the suture dispenser box.
Accordingly, there are two conventional types of storage racks, which are configured to receive the above-mentioned suture dispenser boxes. Namely, the North American market employs a vertically formatted storage rack, and the European market employs a horizontally formatted storage rack. FIGS. 1-5 depict prior art suture dispenser boxes and storage racks.
FIGS. 1-2 show a vertically formatted suture dispenser box 10 positioned in a vertically formatted storage rack 12. The width W1 of the vertically formatted suture dispenser box 10 is typically approximately 2.5 inches, the height H1 approximately 5.6 inches, and the length L1 approximately 5.4 inches.
The vertically formatted suture dispenser box 10 has a gravity fed dispensing slot 14 located at a bottom edge 16 thereof that is configured to permit removal of suture packages 17 therefrom. Typically, opposed fingers 18, 18xe2x80x2, e.g., a thumb and an index finger, may grasp the suture packages 17 contained in the vertically formatted suture dispenser box 10 at the dispensing slot 14. As shown in FIG. 2, the length L1 of the vertically formatted suture dispenser box 10 exceeds the length X of a support shelf 20 of the vertically formatted storage rack 12, so as to permit access to the dispensing slot 14.
FIGS. 3-4 show a horizontally formatted suture dispenser box 22 positioned in a horizontally formatted storage rack 24. The width W2 of the horizontally formatted suture dispenser box 22 is typically approximately 4.7 inches, the height H2 approximately 2.5 inches, and the length L2 approximately 5.6 inches. Note that the dimensions of the horizontally formatted suture dispenser box 22 approximate those of a single compartment 26 in the horizontally formatted storage rack 24.
Thus, the dimensions of the vertically formatted suture dispenser box 10 are approximately 2.5xc3x975.6xc3x975.4 inches. If the horizontally formatted suture dispenser box 22 is reoriented such that its dimensions most closely approximate the foregoing dimensions of the vertically formatted suture dispenser box 10, the dimensions of the horizontally formatted suture dispenser box 22 can be noted to be approximately 2.5xc3x975.6xc3x974.7 inches.
Because the suture dispenser boxes 10, 22 described above have different dimensions, the suture dispenser boxes 10, 22 are not compatible for use in both types of racks 12, 24. That is, the physical dimensions of the vertically formatted suture dispenser box 10 (FIGS. 1-2) will not fit into the horizontally formatted storage rack 24 (FIGS. 3-4) because it is larger.
The alternative approach of inserting the smaller, horizontally formatted suture dispenser box 22 in the vertically formatted storage rack 12 also has drawbacks. For example, prior attempts to use a horizontally formatted suture dispenser box 22 in a vertically formatted storage rack 12 have included adding a dispensing slot (like the slot 16 of FIG. 1) to the horizontally formatted suture dispenser box 22 and placing the horizontally formatted suture dispenser box 22 in the vertically formatted storage rack 12. Although the physical dimensions of the horizontally formatted suture dispenser box 22 (FIGS. 3-4) allow it to fit into the vertically formatted storage rack 12, FIG. 5 illustrates one problem associated with this approach.
FIG. 5 shows the horizontally formatted suture dispenser box 22 reoriented and positioned in the vertically formatted storage rack 12. Because the width W2 of the horizontally formatted suture dispenser box 22 is less than length X of the support shelf 20 of the vertically formatted storage rack 12, the support shelf 20 blocks access to a dispensing slot 27 that may be formed in an edge 28 of the horizontally formatted suture dispenser box 22.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,367 discloses a horizontally formatted suture dispenser box, which is placed in a sleeve with a spacer. When used in a vertically formatted storage rack, the spacer causes the horizontally formatted suture dispenser box to extend beyond the support shelf of a vertically formatted storage rack 12 to facilitate access to a dispenser slot. When used in a horizontally formatted storage rack, the sleeve and spacer assembly are discarded, generating waste.
The construction of two types of suture dispenser boxes results in increased manufacturing, distribution, and stocking costs. Accordingly, there is a need for a single novel suture dispenser box that may be compatible with at least the two differently formatted storage racks described above, and that may overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
A suture dispenser box is disclosed which has a hollow therein for receiving a plurality of suture packages, and which has a generally prismatic shape. A plurality of panels cooperate so as to form the suture dispenser box. The panels are sized and shaped such that at least two panels have at least two edges intersecting at an acute angle.
Other features and aspects of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiment, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.